July 2, 2005
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http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05070003.htm
Saturday, July 2, 2005
A NATURALIZED AMERICAN LOOKS AT AMERICA’S BEGINNINGS AND REFLECTS ON HIS ADOPTED COUNTRY
By Jeremy Reynalds
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- Some people are positively patriotic about bashing the United States. Even after the terrible events of 9/11, in some circles America bashing is still the “cool” thing to do.
However, on the upcoming July 4 Independence Day holiday, I suspect that these America haters will nonetheless be taking the day off and joining in celebrations along with the rest of us. I just wonder what they’ll be celebrating, as they don’t appear to hold dear any of the principles on which America was founded.
Think about it for a moment. The Pilgrims’ intent in coming to the New World was to escape the religious oppression which they suffered in England. Then about 140 years later, the American Colonies emerged out of the Pilgrims’ brave attempt to find religious freedom. Not surprisingly, there were some issues with the Pilgrims’ former homeland which led to another problem.
As the AOL World Book Encyclopedia puts it, “Tension had been building between the United Kingdom and the American Colonies for more than 10 years before the Revolutionary War began. Starting in the mid-1760's, the British government passed a series of laws to increase its control over the colonies. Americans had grown used to a large measure of self-government. They strongly resisted the new laws, especially tax laws. Fierce debate developed over the British Parliament's right to tax the colonies without their consent.”
Religious freedom and fair taxation. Two bulwarks upon which our nation was founded, and two concepts that liberals and America haters just can’t stand. However, many of our forefathers died fighting to preserve these liberties. And (indirectly at least) the Revolutionary War sprung out of protests over these taxes.
Again, according to the AOL World Book Encyclopedia the British government got more than a little upset over what it considered to be the disobedience of the British colonies in relationship to the news laws, and in 1775 declared Massachusetts, where much of the protest had taken place, to be in rebellion. As a result, British troops based in Boston retaliated against the “rebels,” resulting in the Revolutionary War.
“The American Colonies were unprepared for war. They lacked a central government, an army, and a navy. Delegates from the colonies formed the Continental Congress, which took on the duties of a national government (and directed the war), (appointing) George Washington ... commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. On July 4, 1776, the Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, in which the colonies declared their freedom from British rule,” stated the World Book Encyclopedia..
Nobody had taken this move lightly. On June 1, 1774, as the Colonies were considering whether or not to break their ties with England, (according to Catherine Millard in her book titled, “The Rewriting of America’s History,”) George Washington had written in his diary, “Went to church and fasted all day.”
On July 4th, 1775 in his General Orders from the Headquarters at Cambridge, he had written, (as related in the book by William Federer, “America’s God and Country,”) “The General most earnestly requires and expects a due observance of those articles of war established for the government of the Army which forbid profane cursing, swearing and drunkenness. And in like manner he requires and expects of all officers and soldiers not engaged in actual duty, a punctual attendance of Divine services, to implore the blessing of Heaven upon the means used for our safety and defense.”
Moving on a number of centuries, in mid-1978 I followed the example of the pilgrims and emigrated from my native country of Britain at what I felt was the direction of the Lord and came to America.
REFLECTIONS ON MY NEW HOMELAND
In the ensuing decades, I was blessed beyond measure. But something was missing. During that time, I was still a British citizen, yet living my life as a resident alien in what I consider to be the greatest country in the world.
There was no reason for me not to become an American citizen. My heart lies in America. And until I became an American citizen, I couldn’t fulfill one of my greatest dreams: to vote; get more actively involved with conservative American politics and make a difference.
Finally in late 1998 after studying up on American history for the required test (and passing), I took the oath of American citizenship and cast my first vote a few months later. I am so proud to now be able to talk about America as being “MY country.” God willing, I will never miss an election in which I am eligible to vote. I count it as a wonderful privilege.
Unlike some, I have nothing bad at all to say about America and the wonderful God-given foundations on which it was built. I appreciate it to the very core of my being and am so proud to be a part of this wonderful country. To be sure it has some problems, but my prayer is that my writing and even my vote (and your vote as well) will perhaps make a small difference in helping solve those issues. Don’t give up on America!
Jeremy Reynalds is a freelance writer and the founder and director of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org or http://www.christianity.com/joyjunction. He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico and is a candidate for the Ph.D. in intercultural education at Biola University in Los Angeles. He is married with five children and lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jgreynalds@aol.com. Tel: (505) 877-6967 or (505) 400-7145. Note: A black and white JPEG picture of Jeremy Reynalds is available on request from Dan Wooding at danjuma1@aol.com.
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Thank God for America
by Col Bob Pappas, USMC, Ret.
If this present generation had been present at the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence, one cannot help but
wonder how they would have behaved and what they would have said or written. "Liberals" would most certainly have voiced not just
concerns, but opposition to the "Declaration" because it might lead to war. They would have taken issue with the enumeration of
grievances, because their enumeration would likely offend the "crown." In fact a declaration of independence would most certainly
lead to heavy handed retaliation, destruction of property and killing of innocent civilians to put the down the notion that a small
group of upstart colonies could be independent.
An independent "United States" would have to deal, not only with Britain, but with France, Germany, Russia and the litany of
imperialist countries. "Liberals" would argue that it would be more than the colonies could possibly handle. Europe would form a
Union, a United Nations, to oppose U.S. independence; and the risks, sacrifices and danger associated with UN opposition would be
too great. They would argue that the pursuit of independence was based on the desire to exploit abundant natural resources to
satisfy colonial greed which would not be fair to the folks on Mars or Venus.
In fact, if "liberals" had dominated politics in those days, Independence Day, 1776 would, in all likelihood, have never occurred.
But when the signers of the Declaration of Independence affixed their signatures to that momentous document, it changed everything,
except Islam, which hasn't changed for better since Mohammed.
In the alternative, the U.S., was founded by Christian men on Biblical principles; they were not perfect, no doubt, yet the United
States of America has emerged as the greatest nation in the history of the world, while the pathetic nations that embraced Islam
live on the verge if not in widespread squalor. And "liberals" don't tell us that we are responsible for their plight.
For those pathetic American "liberals" who fawn at Islam's minarets, beards, turbans and burkas, but know nothing, Islam is a 1400
year old "religiopoliticsociofacist" system unhampered by progress. Its leaders, including the recently elected head of Iran are
determined to keep it that way; and to impose it on all others. One man's "spread of democracy and freedom" is another's "jihad" to
keep that from happening.
American "liberals" may not think so, or in their cocaine laced liquor stupor choose not to believe it, but their present tolerance,
if not embrace of Islam would vanish with its advent and their body would come crashing down in a heap without a head. So, this
writer daily thanks God, the Almighty Creator and Savior of all who believe and repent of their wrong doing, that his legal
immigrant Greek father and his English, Irish, German, Cherokee mother brought him to life in the United States of America.
When the signers of the Declaration of Independence affixed their signatures, they did not know that their penultimate statement,
"And in support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other
our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor,"
would be tested beyond imagination. None escaped unscathed and most lost everything, but the United States of America was borne and
for that all Americans owe those Christian men a debt of eternal gratitude.
Would Muslim men have done it? To their credit, some in Afghanistan and Iraq are trying, and if American "liberals," in Congress,
the so called, "mainstream" media, entertainment, and education would stop torpedoing them, they might just succeed; and when that
happens the world will be a safer place for everyone.
Semper Fidelis
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Copyright © July, 1st, 2005, by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed. It may not be
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